EP0319525A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for currency validation
Assignee: Mars Inc
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Filing: 1985-10-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-10-04
Abstract
Abstract An improved currency validator (1) has one or more sensors (18;24;30) positioned along a bill passageway (4) for testing a bill transported along the bill passageway and for generating electrical signals in response to certain features of the bill. Data derived from the electrical signals is processed by a logic circuit, such as microprocessor (102), to determine the authenticity and denomination of the bill. The data may be normalized during its processing. Either or both a histogram technique or a percent denomination space technique may be used in determining the authenticity and denomination of the bill.
Inventors
- 👤 Bob M. Dobbins
- 👤 Elwood E. Barnes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 07:32
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07D; G07D7/00; G07D7/06; G07D7/12; G07D7/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for determining the authenticity and denomination of paper currency, said currency having a distinct nonblank area containing currency identifying characteristics, said method comprising the steps of: scanning said area with a signal generating sensor (30) and thereby generating a sequence of signals in response to the currency identifying characteristics detected by the sensor in the area scanned, measuring the interval between the first and last signals of the sequence, storing an interval constant representative of the interval for a known acceptable denomination of paper currency, and computing a normalization constant by computing the ratio of the measured interval and the interval constant.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for determining the authenticity and denomination of paper currency, said currency having a distinct nonblank area containing currency identifying characteristics, said method comprising the steps of: scanning said area with a signal generating sensor (30) and thereby generating a sequence of signals in response to the currency identifying characteristics detected by the sensor in the area scanned, measuring the interval between the first and last signals of the sequence, storing an interval constant representative of the interval for a known acceptable denomination of paper currency, and computing a normalization constant by computing the ratio of the measured interval and the interval constant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
86 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of: measuring the intervals between generated signals other than the first and last signals of the sequence, defining a plurality of sets having bounds which are normalized using the normalization constant, classifying each of said measured intervals into one of the plurality of sets if that measured interval falls into any set, and determining the difference between the number of intervals in one of said sets and the number of intervals in another of said sets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method according to claim 1 or 2, for determining the authenticity and denomination of a bill having a portrait area containing a background of grid lines, in which the sensor (30) is arranged to scan said portrait area, whereby said measured interval is indicative of the portrait area width, said interval constant being indicative of the known width of the portrait area of a genuine bill.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 3, further including the step of scanning the denomination area of the bill with said sensor (30).
Claim 6
Independent Claim
15 words
A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said sensor is a magnetic sensor (30).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
23 words
A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising a step of scanning an additional area with a second signal generating sensor (24).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of rejecting said currency if both the sensors (24,30) produce signals as they scan the additional area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the second sensor as an optical sensor (24).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
Paper currency authentication apparatus, said apparatus being arranged to perform a method as claimed in any preceding claim.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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